Two For Two: Chapter VIII

Posted by Kirk Johnson on August 21, 2024 in Articles, Uncategorized

7/20/24

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog, but I promise it’s for good reason! So far, 2024 has been such a wonderful year of positive change, growth, and learning for many in the SOUNDS Academy Family. I’m seeing another round of butterflies emerging from their chrysalises. It feels like many of the seeds that have been planted are starting to “germinate” and at the same time, full-circle moments are happening, preparing us to start another lap.

We recently graduated 4 AMAZING seniors, who’d each been with SOUNDS Academy since the third or fourth grade. You can learn more about them by clicking HERE. We also had another successful Summer Camp in Prescott, where students learned about music and character values.

The day after the final Summer Camp performance, I left for my Piper Fellowship sabbatical in Costa Rica. A wonderful quality of Piper is their ability to check on and prioritize the mental wellness of their Fellows. Even in the initial application, there were questions about taking time for oneself and reflecting. Honestly, it was one of the hardest parts of the application for me. I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how to properly “recharge” myself while doing it!

Sure, I make time for family and friends, working out, and taking vacations, but the “reflection” part gave me trouble. I initially thought, “I reflect all the time!”

I reached out to past Piper Fellows to get their perspective, and one used the word “disconnect.” I knew I wanted my trip to be one where I would be able to do that. After consulting with peers, friends, and family, I decided on an 8-day yoga and meditation retreat in the jungles of South Costa Rica.

Upon landing, I discovered Costa Rica is extremely humid, especially for someone who’s acclimated to the Arizona desert. I stayed the first night in San Jose, and the next morning boarded a 10-passenger plane to Puerto Jimenez where I was picked up in a Suzuki 4×4 and driven down an unpaved road with one other traveler from Morocco. Our driver, Juan, didn’t speak much English. However, between the few English words he knew, the pretty good Spanish of my new Moroccan friend, and my 488-day Duolingo streak, we had a great conversation. The scenery was amazing and very much reminded me of where my family lives in Jamaica.

When we got to the gate, I immediately noticed the Leafcutter ants, which, for whatever reason, symbolized “We’re not in Phoenix anymore.” After checking in, touring the facility, and dropping my luggage in my room, I took my phone out to let my mother know I made it. That’s when I noticed I had no signal. I was officially “disconnected.”

Those who know me know I love grilling, especially meat. I love sports, especially teams from Boston. And I love noise, whether it’s via talking to people, listening to music, or the clicks of responding to emails. I often find peace in chaos. But at Blue Osa, we had a farm-to-table vegan diet. My Celtics were in the NBA Finals (yes, I was thinking, “How will I watch Game 5?”). And the only noise I heard was hushed conversation, the ocean, and the jungle animals – especially the Howler monkeys. There was also a surfers’ retreat while I was there, which was quite amazing. I’ll say more about that later, but the experience wouldn’t have been the same without them.

After our 6pm dinner, we learned that our first hike was at 5:30am (). But, did I mention, the Celtics’ Game 5 was also on? I obviously couldn’t go to bed just yet! I met a fellow Boston fan who happened to be the yoga instructor for the surf retreat, and we miraculously found the WiFi spot (there was one place outside where they allowed us to use WiFi. And it was humid out there!). Although we couldn’t watch the game, we could see the score. We learned about each other, our connections to Boston, and what we’d each been doing since leaving the city. The Celtics won, and we knew we had to go to bed to prepare for the early hike. It was a great first night!

I woke up before the sun and went to get my morning tea, saying, “Good morning” to everyone. Not many responded; some even gave me slightly annoyed looks. Finally, an older lady whispered, “It’s morning silence.” I learned that we were to remain silent until breakfast each morning while on the property. Once we left for the hike, we could talk, and we immediately saw Spider monkeys, White Faced monkeys, parakeets, macaws, Red Breasted blackbirds, vultures, and more. We then hiked back on the beach and had breakfast.

Each day included some sort of nature excursion via a hike or kayaking, yoga and meditation sessions, reading, and a lot of thinking and writing. I had a strong awareness of how blessed and lucky I am to be alive and (relatively) healthy, to have a great family and dynamic friends, to be able to get to Year 10 with SOUNDS Academy, and to be able to take this trip.

Which brings me to pura vida, which literally means “pure life.” In Costa Rica, people say it all the time. Sometimes, it was used to say hello, goodbye, or thank you. I looked it up, and the definition was “to live a peaceful, simple, uncluttered life with deep appreciation of nature, family and friends; a real living that reflects happiness, well-being and satisfaction.”

This sabbatical taught me a lot, and one of the larger takeaways was “appreciation.” I’ve always known that I’m in a fortunate position, and I’ve tried to make decisions to nurture that fortune in a positive way and pay it forward. Now, I have a greater appreciation for my life and the individuals in it. I look forward to the great opportunities that will come my way in the future and welcome them with open arms.

So my questions to you are: